Work-support for shoe-machines.



v A. B. FOWLER. WORK SUPPORT FOR SHOE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12. I915- Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET A. B. FOWLER.

WORK SUPPORTFOR SHOE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1915- Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

. N remain;

' be trimmed unevenly,

UNITED %TATE% PATENT QFFTCE, V

ALFRED B. FOWLER, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSTGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPGRATION, OE PATERS'ON, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WORK-SUPPORT FOR SHOE-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

To all whom it may 0011mm:

Be it known that I, ALFRED B. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in \Vork-Supports for Shoe-Mm chines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to work supports for shoe machines and is herein shown as embodied in work positioning means particularly adapted for use in machines which operate to trim the edge of an insole after the insole is attached to a last.

In the manufacture of some types of shoes, such as welt shoes, it is the usual practice, after the insole is attached to the bottom of the last, to trim the heel portion of the insole to the edge contour of the heel seat of the last. A machine for this purpose forms the subject-matter of United States Patent No. 1,076,431, granted October 21, 1913, on the application of E. L. Keyes. The insole is attached to the last usually by means of a plurality of tacks driven along the middle of the forepart and shank and by a single tack at the heel seat driven into the last through an opening in the metal anvil plate with which the heel end of a last is usually provided. The tacks along the forepart and shank may be driven at random, but the heel seat tack must enter the comparatively small opening in the anvil plate. As a result, the material of the last where the heel seat tack is driven is worn away with comparative rapidity so that finally a tack driven at this point fails to hold the heel portion of the insole securely. There are in use, moreover, in the manufacture of some classes of shoes, lasts in which no opening is provided in the metal anvil plate for the reception of a tack and in which it is not desirable to provide such an opening lest the strength of the plate be weakened unduly.

The machine shown in the patent above referred to includes a yielding presser mem ber for engaging the bottom facev of the insole close to the point of operation of the cutter to prevent the insole from being deitiected by the cutter in such manner as to While this dll'ilngev ment has proved to be satisfactory in operation under the usual working condition, it is not always suiiiciently effective where the insole is insecurely tacked at the heel seat or where there is no heel seat tack. This arises largely from the fact that during the trimming operation there is rubbing engagement between the presser member and the insole which tends to neutralize to some extent the clamping effect of the presser member.

An important object of this invention accordingly is to provide for use in a machine for trimming an insole attached to a last improved means for positioning the insole in relation to the last; and to this end a feature of the invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of work positioning means including a clamp member arranged to engage the bottom face of the insole and to turn with the last while maintaining its engagement with the insole during the trimming operation. The invention is herein shown as embodied in mechanism including a last support and a clamp member which are relatively movable to cause the clamp member to assume an operative position over the last bottom or an idle position at one side of the last, thus facilitating the operation of placing a last on the support or removing it from the support, and this arrangement constitutes another important feature of the invention.

A further feature of the invention consists in work positioning means for shoe machines comprising a movable last support and a novel arrangement of mechanism operative upon a movement of the support to cause shoe stock upon the bottom of the last to be positioned in definite relation to the last and maintained in position during its subsequent treatment by the machine.

The above and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be described with reference'to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, an will be pointed out in the claims.

Although the invention is illustrated herein in its application to a machine for tr mming an insole attached to a last, it will be understood that in its broader aspects the invention is not thus .limitedbutis ape plicable in many of its features to use with different classes of shoe machines for performing various operations in shoe manufacture.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end view in elevation of an insole heel seat trimming machine similar to that shown in the patent hereinbefore referred to, including novel work positioning means in which the present invention is em bodied;

Fig; 2 is a perspective front view of the Work support detached, and Fig. 8 is a view in section through the cutter and adjacent portions of the illustrative. machine showing the manner in which the, work is presented for treatment.

The machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and '3 comprises a frame 2 having bearings for a .when it is desired rotary shaft 4' which carries a toothed cutter 6 and the usual shield 8. Positioned at the end of the cutter isa guide member 10 constructed for engagement with the lateral surface of a las't,'as a, adjacent to the edge 7 of the heel seat to guide the last in its turning movement during the operation of trimming around the edge of the heel portion of the insole 6, this guide member having a lip 12 to project between the bottom of the last and the insole for the'purpose of positioning the last axially of the cutter and supporting the insole out of contact with the last adjacent to the point of operation of the cutter, as well as preventing any possible engagement of the cutter with the last, all as more fully explained in the patent hereinbefore referred to. The guide member 10 is mounted a djustably on a support l t which is pivoted to the machine frame at 16 to permit the member to be swun away from the cutter to remove the cutter from its shaft. Mountedupon the shaft at also to rotate therewith is a presser member 18 which is movable lengthwise of the shaft and during'the trimming operation is held by means of a light spring 20 against the insole adjacent to the point of cut to assist in preventing the insole from bending away from the cutter. A collar 22 secured to the shaft by a screw 24 that projects through a slot 26 in a sleeve 28 extending from the member 18 serves as an abutment for the spring 20 and by engagement with the inturned end of the sleeve determines the idle position of the presser member so as to permit the insole to force the'member back slightly in opposition to the spring 20 when to the cutter.

Secured to the lower portion of the frame 2 at one side is a bracket 30 having an outwardly extending arm 32 which has a bearing at its outer endfor a stem 3t that, projects, from a. blockrii'ti upon which the work support; dflthe. machine is inounted- I The of the work to the cutter.

. essee? stem 34 is loosely mounted in its bearing so that the block 36 may turn within limits determined by its engagement with a stop 38 on the bracket arm'32, thus affording provision for limited movement of the last axially of the cutter shaft which is desirable in "order to facilitate the presentation The block 36 is flattened upon its upper and lower faces and is bored to receive a stem 40 projecting downwardly from a head 42 that rests upon the upper fiat face of the block 36. Extending through the head 12 and projecting at either sideof it is a rod 44, this rod being secured in the head by means of a set screw 46. Mounted to turn on one end of this rod is a sleeve 48 which carries an arm 50 that serves as a last support, this arm being provided with a spindlefiQ to enter the last pin socket of the last. The arm 50 is enlarged and slotted to embrace the sleeve 48 and has threaded in itsfslotted portion at opposite sides pins 54 the ends of which enter suitable recesses in the sleeve 4811.0 pivot the arm for swinging movement about an axis transverse to the axis of the sleeve. A flat spring 56 secured to the end of the sleeve 48 bears against the arm 50 and tends to maintain it in substantially perpendicular relation to the axis of the sleeve 48.

Mounted to turn 'upon the other end of the rod 44 is an arm 58 which is part; of a device for clamping the heel portion of an insole upon the last to position it relatively to the last during the trimming operation. This arm has adjustably secured thereto at its upper end a bracket 60 upon which is pivoted an insole engaging clamp member 62 having plurality of fingers arranged to project toward different portions of the rear edge of the insole and, in the construction shown a single finger arranged to extend forwardly longitudinally of the' insole. These fingers have pointed pins 6% to effect secure, engagement with the insolemat'erial. Since the arrangementof the fingers of the clamp member as above described is with particular reference to controlling the position of the insol at the rear portion of the heel seat, the device includes means for maintaining the clamp member when idlein a definite position of'rotation, about its axis, determined with reference to the normal initial position of the last upon its support, so as to insure thatthe clamp member shall engage the insole in the relation intended. This means co'mprisesa pin 66 carried by the clamp member atone side of its axis and a light spring 68 connected to the pin and to a projection 70 on the bracket 60 so as to maintain the member normally in the predetermined position. The bracket 60 has a. slot 72 to receive vthe'pin 66 and'permitrotation of the. clamp member to the extent required In the trimming operation As previously explained, both arms and 58 are mounted to swing about the rod 44 to carry the work into or out of position to be operated upon by the machine. The outward swinging movement of the arm 58, however, is limited relatively to the movement of the arm 50 by means of a ledge 74: that projects from the head 4:2 in position to engage an extension 76 on the arm 58. The arm is maintained when idle at this forward limit of movement by means of a spring 78 that engages the arm at one end and is fixed at its other end in a clamp 80 upon the rod 44. The last support is thus permitted to swing outwardly farther than the clamping device so that when the parts are in idle position the last support and the clamp member 62 are laterally offset from each other to permit a last to be readily mounted upon the spindle 52 without interference from the clamping device. Inward swinging movement is imparted to thearm 58 from the arm 50 by means of a pin 82 which is threaded in an extens on 8t of the arm 50 in position to engage the extension 76 at a predetermined point in the inward swinging movement of the arm 50. It will be understood that when thelast support and the clamping device are in work positioning relation the aXi s of the clamp member 62 should be in line with the spindle 52 so that the clamp member may turn with the last without any tendency to dis place the insole relatively to the last. Such alinement may be secured through adjustment of the bracket upon the arm 58 and adjustment of the pin 82 which determines the relative positions of the arms 50 and 58 about the axis of the rod 44 at the time when movement is imparted to the arm 58 from the arm 50.

The swing ng movement of the last support about the axis of the p ns 54 is controlled by means of a cam device 86 supported on a bracket 88 which is securely clamped to the lower end of the stem 40, th s device cooperating with an extens on 90 of the arm 50 which carries a roll 92. When the parts of the work support are in their idle positions the roll 92 will be engaged by the face 94 of the device 86 to position. the arm 50 as represented bv dotted lines in Fig. 2 with the spindle 52 relatively dista nt from the plane of the clamp member 62. The outward swinging movement also of the arm 50 is limited by the dev ce 86, as is evident from Fig. 2. WVhen the last support is swung inwardly the roll 92 comes into engagement with a receding cam face 96 of the device 86 and the arm 50 is then permitted to swing toward the lane of the clamp member 62 under the infl ence of the spring 56. The shape of the device 86 is such as to insure that the clamp member shall not engage the insole before: the

spindle 52 and'the axis of the clamp member 62 are in alinement. While the movement of the arm 50 about the axis of the pins 5% may begin before such alinement is reached, the movement is not completed until the pin 82 arrives in position to engage the extension 8& to cause the arm 58 to move with the arm 50 and preferably the movement of the arm 50 toward the plane of the clamp member will be completed while the two arms are swinging inwardly in unison.

When the work support is in position to present the insole to the cutter, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the last is turned upon the spindle 52 by the operator to bring different portions of the edge of the insole around the heel seat into position to be trimmed. During this movement of the work the clamp member 62 is maintained in engagement with the insole at a plurality of points upon the heel seat under the pres sure of the spring 56 acting upon the last support, and since the clamp member is permitted to turn about the same axis as the last it maintains the same relation to the last during its turning movement and through the secure engagement of the pins 64; with the stock acts effectively to prevent the insole from being deflected by the cutter in such manner as to cause uneven trimming of the edge. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 3 that the presser member 18 constructed and positioned as shown and described presents no obstruction to the clamping device during the manipulation of the work and by pressure upon the insole adjacent to the point of cut assists in preventing the insole from being deflected by the cutter. After the trimming has been completed the support is swung outwardlv by the operator, ass sted to some extent by the action of the spring 7 8, and movement of the arm 50 awav from the plane of the clamp member is effected by engagement of the roll 92 on the ex ension 90 with the cam face 96 to cause the insole to be disengaged from the clamp member bv the time the extension 7 6 encou ters the l dge 74. The arm 50 is then permitted to swine farther outwardly o the dotted line pos tion indicated in 2 where it is retained by engagement of the face 94 with the roll 92 to permit the removal ofthe last and the introduction of ano her last. It will be understood that the full lines in Fig. 2 show the parts of the work support in an intermediate pos tion after the insole has b en clamped and before he arms 50 and 58 have been swuno; in-

wardlv far enough to present the insole to v.

the cutter.

In order to permi the ins le to be tr mmed to he ed e of the last bo tom on lasts of diderentsha es it is desirable to i provide iteriseme angular-variation, between the plane of the heel seat or the axis of turning movement of the last and the axis of the cutter. Such variation is permitted in the construction shown by the provision for turning movement in the block 36 of the stem 40 to which the different parts of the work support are connected. The arms 50 and 58 of the work support may thus turn together in a plane which is, in the construction shown, perpendicular to the plane of their swinging movement toward or from the cutter, the bracket 88 which is clamped upon the stem 40 also turning with the arms so as to maintain constantly the same relation to them. The bracket carries plates 98 in which are mounted'screws 100 with their inner ends in close relation to the sides of a )late 102 fixed to the block 36 so as to limit adjustably the turning movement of the work support in both directions.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent'of the United States is 1. In a machine for trimming an insole 7 attached to a last, the combination of a support for the last a member for engaging the heel portion of the insole to position it in relation to the last, and means for relatively aositionin said su sort and member when idle with the member in laterally offset relation to the last, said support and member being arranged to assume relative positions with the member over the last bottom through a movement of the support.

2. In a machine for trimming the heel portion of an insole attached to a last, the combination of a last support constructed to permit the last to be rotated about an axis in its heelportion to bring different portions of the insole into position to be trimmed, anda clamp member rotatable with the last and constructed to engage the heel portion of the insole to position it relatively to the last, said clamp member and last support being relatively movable laterally to position said member either over the last bottom or at one side of the last.

7 3. In a machine for trimming the heel portion of an insole attached to a last, the combination of a-last support constructed to permit the last to be rotated about an axis in its heel portion to bring different portions of the insole'into position to be trimmed, and means for positioning the heel portion of the insole in relation to the last, said means being rotatable with the last and having a plurality of pointed members arranged to engage the insole in different locations upon the heel seat. 60

4. In a machine for trimming the heel portion ot-an insole attached to a last, the combination of a last support constructed to permit the last to be rotated about an axis in its heel portion to bring different portions of the insole into positiontoube trimmed,.and

means for positioningthe heel portion of the insole in relation to the last comprising a member rotatable with the last and con structed to engage the insole between the axis of movement of the last and the rear edge of the heel seat, and yielding means tending to maintain said member'in a predetermined position of rotation aboutits axis with reference to the normal initial position of the last upon its support to determine the position of engagement of said member with the insole.

. 5. In a machine for trimming the heel portion of an insole attached to a last; the combination of a last support constructed to permit the last to be rotated about an axis in its heel portion'to bring different portions of the insole into position to be trimmed, and means for positioning the in-' sole upon the last comprising a member rotatable with the last and constructed to engage the insole in a predetermined relation to the contour of the edge of the heel seat, and means tending-to maintain said member in a predetermined position of rotation about its axis with reference to the normal initial position of the last upon the support to permit the member to engage the insole in said predetermined relation thereto.

6. In a machine for trimming to the contour ofthe heel end of a last the "heel portion of an insole attached to the last, the combination with a cutter of a work sup-- port having means for positioning a last for rotation about an. axis in its heel portion to bring difilerent portions of the insole into position to be trimmed, said support being movable about a substantially horizontal axis to carry the work toward or from the cutter and about a substantially upright axis to vary the angular relation of the plane of the heel seat to the cutter, and means for adjustably'limiting'said last named movement of the support'in both directions.

7. In a machine for trimming an insole attached to a last, a work support having means for positioning the last for rotation about an axis in its heel portion and also means rotatable with the last for engaging the insole to position the insole relatively to the last, said support being m unted tor swinging movement about a substantially shoe stock upon the bottom of 1 6 ,i1 t and,

'11 Jon the bottom of the last and means or erative during said movement of the last support for imparting to the support additional movement toward the clamp member transverse to the direction of its first named movement, to eifect the clamping of the stock.

10. In a shoe machine, a last support mounted for forward movement to carry the work into position to be operated upon by the machine, a member for engaging and clamping shoe stock upon the bottom of a last on the support, means for positioning said member when idle at an intermediate point with reference to the path of movement of the support, and means for elfecting engagement of said member with the stock after the arrival of the support at a position opposite to the member, said member being movable with the last support during the further forward movement of the support.

11. In a shoe machine, a last support mounted for forward movement to carry the work into position to be operated upon by the machine, a member for engaging and clamping shoe stock upon the bottom of a last on the support, means for positioning said member when idle at an intermediate point with reference to the path of movement of the support, means for imparting movement to the member to cause it to move with the support after the support arrives at a position opposite to the member, and means for effecting relative movement of the support and member during their subsequent torward movement to cause the member to engage the stock.

12. In a shoe machine, a last support for wardly movable to carry the work into position to be operated upon by the machine, a member for engaging and clamping shoe stock upon the bottom of a last on the support, said member being positioned when idle at an intermediate point at one side of the path of movement of the support, means for efi'ecting movement of said member in unison with the forward movement of the support after the support comes into substantial alinement with said member, and means operative during the forward movement of said support and member for moving the support toward the member to clamp the stock.

13. In a shoe machine, a last support, mounted for swinging movement to carry the work into position to be operated upon by the machine, and means for automatically engaging and clamping shoe stock upon the bottom of the last during said movement of the last support, said means inchuling a clamp member mounted to swing with the support after said member has engaged the stock.

14. In a shoe machine, a last support movable to carry the work into or out of position to be operated upon by the machine, a clamp member movable with the last support and arran ed to clamp shoe stock upon the bottom of a last on said support when the support is in position to present the work to the machine, and means operative upon a movement of said support in a direction to withdraw the work from the machine for effecting relative movement of said support and member to reiease the work.

15. In a shoe machine, the combination of a last support, a clamp member arranged to clamp shoe stock upon the bottom of a last on said support when the support is in position to present the work to the machine, said support and member being movable outwardly together to withdraw the wor 1 from the machine, and means operative during said outward movement for effecting relative movement of said support and member to release the work.

' 16. In a shoe machine, the combination of a last support, a clamp member arranged to engage and clamp shoe stock upon the bottom of a last on said support when the support is in position to present the work to the machine, said support and member being movable outwardly together to withdraw the work from the machine, means for effecting relative movement of said support and member to release the work during said outward movement, and means for limiting the outward movement of the clamp member to permit a further outward movement of the support relatively to said member.

17. In a shoe machine, a pair of work positioning members arranged to clamp the work between them and mounted for movement together while clamping the work to carry the work into or out of position to be operated upon by the machine, said members being arranged also for relative movement in the direction of their movement toward the machine and for additional relative movement transversely of said direction of movement to vary their relation to each other.

being mounted to swing with the support,

and means for limiting the outward movement of said device relatively to the movement of the support to permit the support to carry the last to one side of .said device.

19. In a shoe machine, a last support mounted for swinging movement inwardly and outwardly to carry the work into or out of position to be operated upon by the machine, a device for engaging and clamplng shoe stock upon the bottom ofa last on said suppor arsaid device being mounted to swing with the .support, means for limiting the point in the inward movement of the support to cause said device to move with the support. 7 I p 7 I 20. In a shoe machine, a last support mounted for swinging movement to carry the work into or out of position to be operated upon by the machine, and a device for engaging and clamping shoe stock upon the bottom of a last on said support, said device being mounted to swing with the sup port, and the support being mounted also to swing relatively to the clamping device about an axis extending transversely of the axis of its first named swinging movement. 21. In a shoe machine, the combination of a last support, a device for engaging and clamping shoe stock upon theibottoin of a last on the support, said support and device being mounted for swinging movement inwardly and outwardly to carry the work into or out of position to be operated upon by the machine, the support being mounted also to swing transversely to the plane of its first named swingingmovement, and

means for effecting said transverse movement of the support in a direction away from the clamping device at a predetermined point in the outward movement of said support and device. a

22. In a shoe machine, thecombination of a last support, a devicefor engaging and clamping shoe stock upon the bottom of a last on said support, the support and device being mounted for swinging movement inwardly and outwardly to carry the work into or out of position to be operated upon by the machine, the support being mounted to swing also transversely to the plane of its first named swinging movement, a spring Latest? tending to eiiectsuch transverse movement of the support toward the clamping device, and a cam arranged to swing the support in opposition to said spring during a portion of the outward movement of the support into or out of position to be operated upon by the machine, the support being mounted to swing also about an axis transverseto the axis of its first nam'ed swinging movement and having an extension'on the opposite side of said axis from its work carrying portion, and team arranged toengage said extension to eli'ect a movement of the support about said transverse axis inpa direction away from the clamping device in the outward movement of said support and device. 7 V

24. In a shoe machine, a last support mounted for swinging movement inwardly and outwardly to carry the work into or out of position to be operated upon by the machine, a device for engaging and clamping shoe stock upon the bottom of a last'on said support, said device being mounted for limited swinging movement about an axis in line with the axis of the support, means for impartingv movement to said device at a predetermined point in the inward movement of the support to cause the device to swing with the support, and means for thereafter efiecting a relative movement of said support anddevice to cause the device to engage thestock. I

25. In a machine for trimming an insole attached to a last, the combination of a support for the last, a member for engaging the heel portion of the insole to position it in relation to the last, and means for relatively positioning said support and member when idle with the member in laterally oitset relation to the last, said support and member being constructed and arranged upon a movement of the support, to be positively moved into operative position with the member over the last bottom.

In testimony whereof I have'signed my name to this specification.

ALFRED B. FOWLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five rents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, 11. 6. 

